Problems after (rebuilt) head install with video

[stanlis]

After searching the forums and coming up empty handed, this is my last resort.

Background: I broke my car apart to 1)change the clutch and flywheel, and 2) to have the valve stem seals replaced in my head. Prior to this my car ran great. Since, i had the car apart i figured it would be a good time to replace/add things such as all the seals from the head gasket up, turbo return line, punishment racing fmic, evo3 exhaust manifold, and a new salve cylinder. In addition, the machine shop replaced *8 bad valve guides*, and the valve stem seals.

Problem: After getting everything back together, i start my car to find out it is running rough. Rough defined - car lopes extremely hard at idle, vacuum reads between 5-10 psi, car runs on half of its cylinders while attempting to drive it, and car is hard to start after previously running it for 5 or so minutes.

Things i have checked include:
Spark getting to all 4 spark plugs
timing (including redoing it 3 times)
cel check ( codes for rear 02 sensor and egr)
i did a boost leak test, but my system didn't hold any pressure.

Could this be a result of the fmic install?
Would my car run like this because of this problem?
Does anyone have additional things i could check?

Any help would be much appreciated!
-stanley

 

[rlacasse1]

I know you said you checked it 3 times but it really sounds like timing to me.

 

[stanlis]

IT'S A 98 GSX

HERE'S THE LINK:

YouTube - CAR.3gP

 

[wazzelby]

Not sure what motor you are using (6 bolt or 7 bolt) but - Did you make sure the CAS is on the right way? (not 180 degrees out). Verify the ignition components are all reconnected (igniter, coils, etc). Injectors are all seated correctly. No shop rags in the intercooler piping (laugh, but I've seen it). Spark plug wires in the correct order?

 

[peypey's ride]

Do a Cylider leakdown test! I think you may find your problem there.

 

[stanlis]

I will take some pictures of the timing, today is possible. Hopefully, if I can take some good pics, it will show where each thing is timed on my car.

The car is a 7bolt. Sorry, I forget to list that. I did take the 12mm bolt out of the intake cam, and rotated piece inside 180 degrees, but it didn't seem to have any effect. On this specific CAS's can they be 180 off?

I will try to get you guys some results from a leakdown test soon!

 

[GSXSixteenG]

Fix your boost leaks and check your mas connection.

 

[stanlis]

Should the system hold pressure with the front mount?

 

[TuRBoTaLooN]

Should the system hold pressure with the front mount?

YES

I'm surprised nobody else caught this, but it sounds like a MASSIVE boost leak if your system won't hold ANY pressure. What's probably happening is your MAF is reading air coming in at the intake, but by the time it gets to the cylinders, most of it has leaked out so you are not getting the right air/fuel ratio in the cylinder to have proper combustion.

Do you have any way to read your air/fuel ratio? I bet it's really rich since there isn't enough air getting in the cylinder.

Also make sure your MAF is plugged in, that will also cause it to run poorly.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

YES

I'm surprised nobody else caught this, but it sounds like a MASSIVE boost leak if your system won't hold ANY pressure. What's probably happening is your MAF is reading air coming in at the intake, but by the time it gets to the cylinders, most of it has leaked out so you are not getting the right air/fuel ratio in the cylinder to have proper combustion.

Do you have any way to read your air/fuel ratio? I bet it's really rich since there isn't enough air getting in the cylinder.

Also make sure your MAF is plugged in, that will also cause it to run poorly.

Uh hum, I did indeed say it. I was just sending it from my phone so I didn't feel like typing a lot.

 

[TuRBoTaLooN]

Uh hum, I did indeed say it. I was just sending it from my phone so I didn't feel like typing a lot.

My bad dude, didn't see your post.

Either way...find/fix that boost leak!

 

[stanlis]

I am working on uploading some pictures of my timing now. But I got a question. I've never heard of this but is there anyway my crank can be 360 off. Meaning that it could on the wrong stroke or something???

I couldn't ever get my front mount to hold pressure. So, i put my stock intercooler and piping back on, and it held pressure. However, the car is still running like it is out of time or like it's running on 3 cylinders.

Here's the pics:

 

[tenn-gsx]

Are you running dsm link? What cas are you using? Verify your spark plug order. Check for spark and injector pulse on all 4 cylinders.

 

[stanlis]

Update:

I verified spark and fuel on all 4 cylinders. In the mean time I have replaced my intake manifold. Obviously the one I got in my gasket set was crap. The car holds boost a lot better now on the boost leak test. However, I am still hearing a leak coming from the throttle body, which I am in the process of fixing.

 

[BoredDSM]

Update:

I verified spark and fuel on all 4 cylinders. In the mean time I have replaced my intake manifold. Obviously the one I got in my gasket set was crap. The car holds boost a lot better now on the boost leak test. However, I am still hearing a leak coming from the throttle body, which I am in the process of fixing.

Your throttle plate is closed when doing the boost leak test right? And you crimped the line going to your bov so it doesn't open?

 

[alex1090]

In that pic the belt looks kind of loose on the crank pulley considering thats the tensioner side of the belt

 

[BogusSVO]

do a compression and or leak down test..... the shop may have mis machined your head

 

[stanlis]

After doing a compression test, I got the numbers:

# 4 - 150
# 3 - 0
# 2 - 150
# 1 - 165

This was relieve to see this, because it pinpointed a problem. I took the valve cover off and inspected everything, to find that one of my rocker arms wasn't properly seated. The valve was riding on the rocker arm lip, instead of seating inside the dipped part of the rocker arm. After fixing this the car runs perfect.

Thanks for everyones help!!!

 

[BogusSVO]

good deal!!

 

[jjrock5]

Wow, comes to show, double check everything!! Glad you got to it.